Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business /2005/02/10/

[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

Hawaiian Air reaches new deal with union

Hawaiian Airlines' mechanics union has reached a new tentative three-year agreement with the company after its members last month failed to ratify a previous contract.

The International Association of Machinists District Lodge 142, which has 376 members, represents mechanics, aircraft inspectors and others. A ratification vote will be held next week.

So far, Hawaiian has reached ratified contracts with three of its six union groups, including the IAM clerical workers unit, the Transport Workers Union and the Network Engineering Group.

The Hawaiian Airlines unit of the Association of Flight Attendants also has reached a tentative agreement and is holding a ratification vote that ends Monday. Altogether, 89 percent of the airline's unionized work force is covered by negotiated agreements.

However, the Air Line Pilots Association unit of Hawaiian has not reached an agreement with the company. Hawaiian has filed a motion to impose a contract on the pilots and is scheduled to present arguments in federal Bankruptcy Court beginning Feb. 22 if the two sides cannot reach an agreement. All the contracts are contingent on reaching similar agreements with all unions.

Schofield Barracks to get exchange

Schofield Barracks will get a military exchange center much like the Navy Exchange at Pearl Harbor, and the exchange, to open next year, is seeking business tenants.

The Army Air Force Exchange Service plans to hold a workshop for prospective tenants Feb. 25 at the Hawaii Women's Business Center downtown at 1041 Nuuanu Ave., Suite A.

A $10 fee will be charged for the program.

Kaneohe dealership breaks ground

King Windward Nissan has broken ground for its new $5.2 million, 24,000-square-foot auto complex in Kaneohe, which will be double the size of its current site.

The new Kamehameha Highway spot will be able to house more than 300 cars, compared with about 100 cars at the dealer's existing Kahuhipa Street lot.

Partners Ron Hansen and Charlie King, who also owns King Auto Center on Kauai and the Infiniti dealership on Oahu, negotiated a 30-year lease for the property, which used to house Kaneohe Subaru and Boston's North End Pizza.